BRUNEI DARUSSALAM - ASEAN Peat€¦ · brunei darussalam!! update on national action plan and ongoing efforts on peatlands management

BRUNEI DARUSSALAM

UPDATE ON NATIONAL ACTION PLAN AND ONGOING EFFORTS ON PEATLANDS MANAGEMENT

Our Na'onal Ac'on Plan on Peatlands Management involves:

1.  INVENTORY AND ASSESSMENT •  Monitoring and evaluate of peatland status and management research

Established: i.  Tropical Biodiversity Centre in Sg Liang ii.  Biodiversity Research and Innova'on Centre (BioRIC) iii.  Ins'tute for Biodiversity and Environmental

Research (IBER) iv.  Upcoming Biological Resources Centre at the

Agrotech Park

AIMS: To cater the biodiversity resource management strategies in Brunei Darussalam and to help meet the objec'ves of the Conven'on on

Biological Diversity (CDB).

2. RESEARCH

•  Ac'vi'es at improving management and conserva'on of peatlands.

– Project on natural succession on degraded peatland where drainage has occurred and where there has been no drainage.

– Drainage, groundwater and fire interrela'onships in catchments

– Pilot rehabilita'on projects, reviewing exis'ng research on suitable tree species and suitable plan'ng methods.

– Collabora'on of research sec'ons of relevant government agencies.

3. AWARENESS RAISING AND CAPACITY BUILDING •  Enhance public awareness of peatland management and consequences of peatland degrada'on.

-‐  Develop locally-‐ relevant awareness material for the public highligh'ng detrimental effects and penal'es for non-‐compliance with regula'ons.

-‐  Invite students to a[end talk on biodiversity as a whole.

4. INFORMATION •  Establish web-‐ based database for informa'on storage and exchange.

–  Develop and maintain centralized spa'al web-‐based database on peatlands of Brunei, holding data obtained from the inventory and assessment ac'vi'es.

–  Provide regular PSI updates to the public through the na'onal media and its official website.

–  Upda'ng the open burning prohibi'on promo materials.

5.  POLICIES AND LEGISLATION •  Review and strengthen policies and legisla'on rela'ng to the use of peatlands.

-‐  Strengthen enforcement ac'vi'es within peatland areas -‐  Strengthen regula'ons and resource use in peatlands

•  To develop the Biodiversity Law

6. FIRE PREVENTION, CONTROL AND MONITORING •  Develop a strategic Na'onal Ac'on Plan for disaster

risk reduc'on

•  Reduce occurrence of fire and associated haze

-‐ Na'onal Disaster Management Centre (NDMC) established -‐ Implement water control measures during dry periods.

-‐ Devise and implement zero burning strategies

•  Con'nue to undertake preven've and mi'ga'on measures:

-‐  ground surveillance -‐  on-‐the spot advice to curb open burning ac'vi'es -‐  hotline services for query -‐  receiving open burning complaints.

•  Undertake the expansion and improvement of exis'ng air quality monitoring network.

•  The establishment of mobile air quality monitoring sta'on.

7. BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION •  Promote conserva'on of peatland biodiversity

-‐ Support management plan and strategy for Tasek Merimbun ASEAN Heritage Park -‐ Collaborate with the Brunei Tropical Biodiversity Centre (TBC) and the Heart of Borneo (HoB) ini'a've in iden'fica'on and conserva'on of peatland areas.

•  Wetland Protec'on

–  Brunei HoB ini'a've provides the guiding principles to support development polices to ensure the sustainable management of the world’s remnant pris'ne wetland area in Brunei especially Belait peat swamp forest.

–  Projects under Brunei HoB ini'a've are carried out and generally aimed to enhance the conserva'on value of these wetland areas.

–  90ha of wetlands – economic poten'al and can be ecologically managed to maintain healthy ecological services

–  Party RAMSAR and wetland interna'onal have been

considered.

8. INTEGRATED MANAGEMENT OF PEATLANDS

•  Promote integrated/ mul'-‐stakeholder •  Ensure peatland issues are integrated into na'onal and district physical plans

9. RESTORATION AND REHABILITATION •  Implement pilot projects on strategies to rehabilitate degraded peatlands

-‐  Blocking of canals -‐  Sourcing seedlings for replanta'on

-‐  Rehabilita'on on sand mining areas including iden'fying op'ons for water-‐based recrea'onal ac'vi'es.

10. PEATLANDS AND CLIMATE CHANGE •  Maintain the carbon storage and sequestra'on func'ons of peatlands

-‐  Obtain baseline data on carbon storage, carbon sequestra'on

and carbon emissions from intact and degraded peatlands

•  Assess impacts of climate change and develop adapta'on measures

-‐  Integrate peatland issues into na'onal climate change adapta'on plans

11. REGIONAL COOPERATION •  Promote regional and trans-‐border coopera'on and transfer of exper'se in addressing peatland management issues

-‐  Ensure that ac'vi'es are carried out in collabora'on with the Heart of Borneo (HoB) project -‐  Iden'fy trainers, resource persons and experts from local and other ASEAN countries to share exper'se.

12. FINANCING OF THE INITIATIVE •  Iden'fy funding agencies and funding mechanism and prepare proposal for submission to donors.

–  Explore opportuni'es for funding under the Conven'on on Biological Diversity (CBD) via the Heart of Borneo project. Sources of funding are required.

•  Explore opportuni'es for funding rehabilita'on and conserva'on projects under innova've mechanisms such as avoided deforesta'on and avoided carbon emission funds.

BRIEF INFO & STATUS ON BIODIVERSITY LAW IN BRUNEI DARUSSALAM In response to the growing need of biological resource u'liza'on (for research and commercializa'on), the Government of Brunei Darussalam through the Ministry of Industry and Primary Resources took the ini'a've to develop the Biodiversity Law. The Law will serve as a strong legal founda'on or back-‐up on any biological resource u'liza'on ma[er (Access and Benefit Sharing -‐ ABS & Major Training Area -‐ MTA), which is in-‐ line with the CBD framework.

The 1st Workshop on The Formula'on of the Na'onal Biodiversity Law was conducted on the 15th January 2013 with the assistance from the A[orney General Chamber of Brunei Darussalam (AGC) and the Asean Centre for Biodiversity (ACB). The workshop was a[ended by relevant Government agencies, Higher Educa'onal Ins'tu'ons and other relevant agencies on biodiversity. The Biodiversity Law is s'll in its early stage of draking. The Draking of the Biodiversity Law involves inputs from relevant Government agencies that has concern on biodiversity.

BRUNEI DARUSSALAM HEART OF BORNEO (HOB) CENTRE

MINISTRY OF INDUSTRY & PRIMARY RESOURCES NEGARA BRUNEI DARUSSALAM

SHARING A COMMON VISION: CONSERVING

BORNEO’S RAINFOREST ON A LARGE SCALE FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE PEOPLE OF BORNEO

HoB in Brunei Darussalam

[1.5% of HoB]

58% [1.5% of HoB]

Land Status:-

• Forest Reserve

• State Land

• Private land

Forest land uses:-

• Production

• Protection (water resources)

• Conservation

• Agriculture (Other development projects)

• Villages

Forest types:-

• Montane

• Mixed Dipterocarp

• Peat Swamp

• Old Secondary Forest

• Secondary/shrub/Bush

86% 35%

56%

HOB Project ImplementaRon Framework (PIF ) Roadmap to achieve the vision

Strategic thrusts •  Conserve the Unique biological resources for sustainability of ecosystem, to focus on strengthening a network of protected area, transboundary coopera'on and improving management capacity; •  Enhance to package tourism in the HoB through nature and ecotourism development taking into considera'on environmental and cultural sensi'vity of the developed areas;

•  Sustainable development and u'liza'on of non-‐renewable resources as not to jeopardize the environment and forest connec'vity; and •  Ensure the sustainability of HoB ini'a've through con'nuous awareness program and community-‐based programs.

Carbon Exchange & Forest Dynamics in Tropical Peat Forests

•  Endorsed by HoBNC to be included under the purview of Brunei Darussalam HoB Ini'a've

•  Project Coordinator: Singapore-‐MIT Alliance for Research & Technology (SMART) in collabora'on with MIPR

•  Objec've: To study the dynamics and the carbon sequestra'on within the tropical peat forests in which measurements of carbon exchange between the atmosphere and the forests are made (as well as nutrients within the soil & peat) for a period of 10 years (or more).

•  Project Ra'onale: Findings from the project may give us a be[er understanding on the forests’ ecosystem which may assist on rehabilitaRon & conservaRon iniRaRves of PSF & on the issue of climate change


Sg Mendaram

Sg Damit



2010 2011 2012 2013 H2 H1 H2 H1 H2 H1 Hydrological measurements Water table installation and measurement

Rainfall installation and measurement Hydrological modeling Soil chemistry Measurements Published soil chemistry paper Peat core sampling Core collection Carbon dating Core chemical analysis Damit carbon exchange measurement Airlift for soil testing Airlift of solar power materials Solar power supply built Airlift for 35 m tower construction 35 m tower construction Mendaram carbon exchange measurement

Airlift for 65 m tower construction 65 m tower construction

BSP-‐WI Biodiversity AcRon Plan (BAP)

•  Endorsed by HoBNC to be included under the purview of Brunei Darussalam HoB Ini'a've

•  Project Coordinator: Brunei Shell Petroleum (BSP) in collabora'on with Wetland Interna'onal (WI) Malaysia

•  Started in late 2012 for a period of 18 months •  Objec'ves:

–  Objec've 1: To produce a Biodiversity Ac'on Plan (a set of future ac'ons that will lead to the conserva'on or enhancement of biodiversity) for the onshore footprint of BSJV in Brunei Darussalam;

–  Objec've 2: To develop a communica'ons plan aimed at preven'ng fire incidents in peat areas; &

–  Objec've 3: To develop an implementa'on plan for ecological restora'on of disturbed key areas.



Status: • Objec've 1: Field surveys on the biodiversity have been concluded • Objec've 2: Outline for the drak Peat Fire Commun i c a'on P l an (UBD , l o c a l communi'es & Shell’s Firefigh'ng team) • Objec've 3:

– Hydrology monitoring programme – Development of tree nursery concept for the project (rehabilita'on)

THANK YOU

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BRUNEI DARUSSALAM - ASEAN Peat€¦ · brunei darussalam!! update on national action plan and ongoing efforts on peatlands management